Reverse-gear for steam-engines



(No Model.)

G. W. OUSHING REVERSE GEAR FOR STEAM ENGINES. 357 308.

Patented Feb. 8, 1887.

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UNITED STATES :EPATIENTA OFFICE.

GEORGE XV. GUSHING, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

REVERSE-GEAR FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,308, dated February 8, 1887.

. Application filed September 23, 1886. Serial No. 214,310. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: I

Be it'knewn that I, GEORGE W. Onsnnve, of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reverse Gears for Steam-Engines, of hich improvements the following is a speci cation.

My invention,which is particular] y designed for application in locomotive-engines, relates tomechanism for governing the reversal of the movement of the engine and the variation of the point of cutoff in either direction by changing as required ,the direction and degree of traverse of a steam-distribution valve or valves; and its object is to enable a close and accurate adjustment to be effected for any desired direction of movement and degree of expansion, as well as to firmly lock theparts in adjusted position with the capacity of ready and immediate variation therefrom in either direction as from time to time required.

To this end my invention, generally stated, consists in the combination of a reverse-lever adapted to effect the adjustment of a variable cut-off valvegear, a fixed quadrant or abutment for the support of said lever in adjusted position, and helical gearing interposed between the lever and quadrant and adapted to effect the traverse of the lever over the quadrant and lock the lever at any desired pointin its traverse.

I he improvements claimed are hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of a reverse-gear for locomotive-engines embodying my invention, andFig. 2 an end view,'partly in section, of the same. I

My invention is herein shown as applied to a hand reverse and cut-off adjusting-gear of the standard type employed in locomotive-engines, the valves of which are ordinarily actuated by link-motions having either shifting or stationary links, but which is likewise adaptable to use with radial valve-gears, different constructions of which have to some eX- tent been put in practice. The reverse-lever 1 is pivoted at its lower end toasuitablebearing on the side'of the cab or on the foot-plate, and is forked to pass freely laterally along each side of a quadrant or segment, 2, which is secured at its ends by bolts 3 to the runningboardtof the engine. Areversebar, 5,which is coupled by apin, 6, to the reverse-lever below the quadrant 2, extends to a connection with an arm on a lifting or reverse shaft in the usual manner. x

A worm, 7, is fixed-upon a shaft, 8, whlch is inclined relatively to the reverse-lever 1, and is mounted in a bearing, 20, journaled transversely to the reverse-lever and coupled by links 11 to a thumb-latch, 12, pivoted by a pin, 13,1;0 the reverse-lever near its upper end. The worm 7 engages a worm-wheel, 21, fixed upon ashaft, 22, journaled transversely on the reverse-lever and carrying a spur-pinion, 23, which engages a series of teeth, 24, forming a segment of a spurgear upon the periphery of the quadrant 2. A spring,19, bearing against an abutment on the front of the reverse-lever and against the worm-shaft bearing 20 maintains the worm in gear with the worm-wheel exceptwhen, for the purpose of moving the reverse-lever for a comparatively long traverse by the application of the hand to its up per end, the bearing 20 is swung upon its pivot by the thumb-latch 12 and links 11 sufficiently far to wholly disengage the worm from the teeth of the worm-wheel.

It will be seen that while the worm 7 remains in gear with the worm-wheel 21 and is not rotated, the reverse-lever 1 is securely locked in any desired position for head or back motion on the quadrant 2. When it is required to move the reverse-lever for a comparatively short distance, as'to effect variations of the point of cutoff, rotation is imparted to the worm 7 by the hand-wheel 18, fixed on its shaft, the position of which is such that it can be readily and conveniently operated by the engineman, and the movement of the reverselever may thus be graduated to the minutest degree desired. For comparativelylong traverse of the reverse-lever, as in reversal of the engine or movement from nearly full-throwin either direction to center of the quadrant, the worm is raised out of gear with the wormwheel bythe thumb-latch,and the reverse-lever manipulated by hand in the ordinary manner. I am aware that screw reverse-gears in which the reverse-bar actuating the lifting-shaft arm is moved by a screw engaginga nut or nuts and rotated by a hand-wheel or by gearing rotating a worm-wheel which engages helical teeth on a quadrant have been heretofore known and naled on the reverse-lever, aspur-pinion fixed used, and I therefore disclaim, broadly,the apupon the worm-wheel shaft and engaging the plication of helical gearing to a reverse-gear. teeth of the quadrant, and a spring which ex- I claim as my invention and desire to seerts tension upon the Worm-shaft bearing to I;

5 cure by Letters Patentnormally maintain the worm in gear with the The combination of areverse-lever,a toothed worm-wheel, substantially as set forth. quadrant, a bearing journaled on the reverselever, a thumb-latch or shifting-lever pivoted GEORGE GUSHING' to the reverse-lever and coupled to the bear- \Vitnesses: [0 ing, a worm fixed upon a shaft mounted in the CHAS. E. CRAIG,

bearing,aworm-wheel fixed upon a shaft jour- O. N. PARMELEE, 

